My secret birthday
I spent the day willing to scream to my office mates, to the building guards, to the lady sitting in front of me in the metro, to the world that it was my birthday. But I did not.
I observed my colleagues and measured all their movements, are they preparing me a little surprise as we normally do ? do I feel some nervousness or tension around? what would be my "thank you" speech? 'guys you are simply the best', I rehearsed mentally. Where is the cake, are they hiding it on another floor?. I checked the fridge twice. Nothing in there.
I imagined my parents signing me 'feliz cumpleanyos' through the phone and my uncles' band playing the birthday theme as they normally do every 14th of August.
But NOTHING of that was happening. Nada.
Nobody said 'happy birthday', no songs. No cake or smiley colleagues.
It was already 5pm and no happy birthday love at all. I decided to sms my parents: 'Today is my birthday'. Answer: 'We did not have your cell number in France, we are calling you right now'.
No further development from my colleagues. No cake on the fourth floor either. No tension around. Answer: 'None of them knows my birthday was today'.
Pleased with the answers, fully convinced that birthday celebrations are really overrated and that I never liked birthday splashes anyway, I went home and bought a lively bunch of pink, white and red carnations. I felt like telling the Sri Lankan cashier that today was my birthday but her smile was comforting enough. Either that or she thought I was heartbroken buying flowers to myself. Me and my carnations headed home to be surprised by a band of gypsies playing in front of my door. For a second the moment turned magic: I imagined my parents, my sister, my uncles, my colleagues, boyfriend husband and my 862 facebook friends hiding behind my entrance door. We would all dance together, celebrate life, theirs and mine, drank rosé and champagne until the early hours of this magnificent Parisian summer.
The magic moment lasted for seconds, long enough to remind me of all the things that count, of all the things I have. I opened my purse, tipped the band and smiled.
I observed my colleagues and measured all their movements, are they preparing me a little surprise as we normally do ? do I feel some nervousness or tension around? what would be my "thank you" speech? 'guys you are simply the best', I rehearsed mentally. Where is the cake, are they hiding it on another floor?. I checked the fridge twice. Nothing in there.
I imagined my parents signing me 'feliz cumpleanyos' through the phone and my uncles' band playing the birthday theme as they normally do every 14th of August.
But NOTHING of that was happening. Nada.
Nobody said 'happy birthday', no songs. No cake or smiley colleagues.
It was already 5pm and no happy birthday love at all. I decided to sms my parents: 'Today is my birthday'. Answer: 'We did not have your cell number in France, we are calling you right now'.
No further development from my colleagues. No cake on the fourth floor either. No tension around. Answer: 'None of them knows my birthday was today'.
Pleased with the answers, fully convinced that birthday celebrations are really overrated and that I never liked birthday splashes anyway, I went home and bought a lively bunch of pink, white and red carnations. I felt like telling the Sri Lankan cashier that today was my birthday but her smile was comforting enough. Either that or she thought I was heartbroken buying flowers to myself. Me and my carnations headed home to be surprised by a band of gypsies playing in front of my door. For a second the moment turned magic: I imagined my parents, my sister, my uncles, my colleagues, boyfriend husband and my 862 facebook friends hiding behind my entrance door. We would all dance together, celebrate life, theirs and mine, drank rosé and champagne until the early hours of this magnificent Parisian summer.The magic moment lasted for seconds, long enough to remind me of all the things that count, of all the things I have. I opened my purse, tipped the band and smiled.
Comments
When I see you next in Bangalore, I'll take you out for your Birthday. I am not sure why I was so excited for your birthday..maybe even more than you.
Thanks,
Shumit